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July 25, 2016
Question

Lost Serial Numbers

  • July 25, 2016
  • 1 reply
  • 259 views

Is there any way to use Creative Suite if you've lost the original serial numbers?  I had to do a factory reset thanks to a windows 10 glitch and had to reinstall CS5 from the discs, but I don't have the original box with the numbers on it.  I don't know if I registered it, and don't even have access to the email account that I used when I bought it (deactivated years ago).

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1 reply

John T Smith
Community Expert
Community Expert
July 25, 2016

By factory reset, do you mean that you formatted the hard drive? (as in wiped, like cleaning a chalk board)

If yes, and you have described no paper trail and no access to your original email address, you are totally out of it on this one

If you didn't format your drive, the program mentioned in Find serial number without Adpbe ID  MAY be able to help

July 25, 2016

No, it wasn't a full formatting.  The only program(s) that I had to reinstall was Adobe Create Suite.  I've used the Belarc Advisor and there is a listing for a Software License still on the machine, but it doesn't work when any of the Adobe programs ask for the software key.  Are the two #'s (software license vs. serial number) different?

John T Smith
Community Expert
Community Expert
July 25, 2016

I have never personally had to use Belarc (I am always careful to keep all serial numbers in a paper file in my desk as well as a list in a text file that I copy to a flash drive) but my understanding is that it returns the serial number entered during install

If the number Belarc gives you doesn't work, I have no other ideas